Peter Ferguson, Managing Consultant at Hanson Search, spoke with Richard Gard, Director and Head of Government and Public Affairs (EMEA and Oceania) at Nissan Motor Corporation, about his route into public affairs, the leadership qualities required in today’s geopolitical environment and how the profession is changing.
How did you get into public affairs and government affairs?
I realised quite early on that good policy does not happen without effort. People generally have good intentions when drafting policy, but how those intentions translate into outcomes can vary widely. Public affairs, when it is done well, is not about lobbying in a narrow sense. It is about helping decision-makers understand complex systems and the trade-offs involved in their choices.
What leadership qualities matter most for senior public affairs leaders today?
Strategic thinking has always mattered, but it matters even more now. Understanding policy detail is important, but it is only part of the picture. In a leadership role, you need to be able to step back and look holistically at how policy, communications and commercial priorities interact.
Credibility under pressure is another essential quality. Anyone who has worked in government affairs knows what it is like to be asked to respond to something highly complex in a very short space of time. Being able to manage that pressure and respond clearly and credibly is critical.
Adaptability is also increasingly important. I push my team to be agile, not just in how they organise their work, but in how they think about it. We provide a service internally, but I want the team to see themselves as entrepreneurial within the business. That mindset encourages agility and helps us identify where we can add value before we are asked.
How do public affairs teams demonstrate commercial value inside global organisations?
There is a real challenge in government affairs around demonstrating value, including understanding the commercial impact of what we do. You need to be able to identify where public affairs activity can deliver tangible value for the business.
That is not only commercial, but intellectual. Earlier in my career, I worked in an agency and that experience was formative. You learn that it is not enough to simply deliver what the client has asked for. You should be thinking ahead, anticipating what they might need next and helping them solve problems they have not yet fully defined. I have taken that same approach into an in-house environment.
What geopolitical and political risks are global businesses navigating today?
The geopolitical environment is exceptionally complex and there is no indication that this is going to ease. We are in the middle of a significant change and I expect that to continue over the coming years.
Alongside geopolitical risk, there is also domestic political volatility across many of the markets I am responsible for, including the UK, France, Germany and Australia. Established political systems are under pressure in a number of places.
The challenge for government affairs leaders is managing those risks on a day-to-day basis while also stepping back and providing strategic direction. A key part of my role is helping the business make informed decisions in an uncertain environment.
Why is board-level engagement critical for effective public affairs?
Board-level engagement is fundamental. Boards are increasingly dealing with decisions shaped by regulation, trade policy, ESG and industrial strategy. Public affairs teams can provide early warning and strategic context on those issues.
Senior leaders do not have time to read extensive policy papers. What they need is clear framing, insight and judgment. Demonstrating that value consistently, particularly through periods of leadership change, is one of the most important responsibilities of government affairs leadership.
How is public affairs changing and what does that mean for future leadership roles?
I see three main areas. The first is a move away from generic lobbying towards more specialist, campaign-style advisory work that brings together policy analysis, data, communications and coalition building.
The second is the growing importance of politics and risk intelligence. Understanding what is happening is no longer enough. Organisations need insight into how risks may develop and what decisions they enable or constrain.
The third is the impact of AI and data-driven tools. These will change how issues are tracked and prioritised. However, the fundamentals of public affairs will remain the same. Judgment, trust and relationships cannot be replaced. Effective leadership will continue to depend on judgment, trust and the ability to use new tools.
What advice would you give to those building public affairs careers?
Be genuinely interested in the work and invest in building real expertise. Over time, depth of experience matters more than breadth. It is not about how many roles you have held, but the quality of the experience you learn from them.
Relationships matter, but long-term value comes from being trusted for your judgment. It is worth thinking about your career path and how each role moves you forward. Public affairs is more competitive than it once was, but opportunities still remain.
Whether you’re hiring top Public Affairs talent or considering your next career move, our team would be delighted to support you.
Peter Ferguson is Managing Consultant in the Public Affairs Practice. Peter advises and supports some of the world’s most renowned communications consultancies, boutique public affairs agencies and global in-house clients.
Hanson Search is a globally recognised, award-winning talent advisory and headhunting consultancy. Our expertise lies in building successful ventures worldwide through our recruitment, interim and executive search in communications, sustainability, public affairs and policy, digital marketing and sales.
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